Precision seed drop spreading device with fluted roller and ground wheel mechanism
A device may include a seed hopper fluidly connected to a seed meter, the seed meter may comprise: a fluted roller, a follower, the follower including one or more brushes, wherein the fluted roller may include one or more grooves, and wherein the one or more brushes may be configured to abut portions of the fluted roller; a roller shutoff disposed adjacent to the fluted roller and including one or more teeth configured to interface with the one or more grooves; a funnel fluidly connected to an outlet chamber, wherein the outlet chamber may be fluidly connected to the funnel, a blower, and a drop tube. The blower may introduce air into the outlet chamber and drop tube. A ground wheel may be mechanically coupled to the fluted roller and roller shutoff, wherein, rotation of the ground wheel causes rotation of the fluted roller and roller shutoff.
1 . A drop spreading device, comprising:
a seed hopper disposed above and fluidly connected to a seed meter, the seed meter comprising:
a follower disposed above a fluted roller, the follower including one or more brushes,
wherein the fluted roller includes one or more grooves, and
wherein the one or more brushes are configured to abut portions of the fluted roller located between the one or more grooves;
a roller shutoff disposed adjacent to the fluted roller, the roller shutoff including one or more teeth,
wherein the one or more teeth are configured to interface with the one or more grooves by selectably occupying a volume of the one or more grooves;
a funnel disposed beneath the fluted roller and fluidly connected to an outlet chamber, the outlet chamber fluidly connected to the funnel, a blower, and a drop tube,
wherein the blower is configured to introduce air into the outlet chamber and drop tube, and
wherein the drop tube is a cylindrical member including one or more perforations; and
a ground wheel,
wherein the ground wheel is mechanically coupled to the fluted roller and roller shutoff via a drive chain and a shaft, and
wherein, a rotation of the ground wheel causes a rotation of both the fluted roller and roller shutoff.
2 . The drop spreading device of claim 1 , wherein the fluted roller includes exactly eight grooves.
3 . The drop spreading device of claim 1 , wherein the outlet chamber includes a venturi channel disposed beneath the funnel.
4 . The drop spreading device of claim 3 , wherein the funnel and venturi channel comprise a single piece of material.
5 . The drop spreading device of claim 1 , wherein the drive chain is mechanically coupled to the shaft at a distal end of the shaft, and a jam nut is screwdly attached to a proximal end of the shaft,
wherein the jam nut and fluted roller define a shutoff distance between the fluted roller and the jam nut, and
wherein turning the jam nut causes an increase or decrease in the shutoff distance.
6 . The drop spreading device of claim 5 , wherein the drop spreading device further includes a spring disposed around the shaft between the fluted roller and the roller shutoff, the spring configured to abut the roller shutoff against the jam nut.
7 . The drop spreading device of claim 1 , further comprising a lifting actuator, a first arm, a second arm, and a hitch, wherein the lifting actuator is configured to selectably raise or lower of the first and second arms relative to the hitch, wherein the lifting actuator, via mechanical movement of the first arm and the second arm, is configured to convert the drop spreading device between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration, wherein, in the raised configuration, the ground wheel does not contact a ground surface and, in the lowered configuration, the ground wheel does contact the ground surface.
8 . The drop spreading device of claim 1 , wherein the drop tube further includes a spinner plate located at an approximate center of an interior of the drop tube.
9 . The drop spreading device of claim 8 , wherein the spinner plate includes one or more fins.
10 . The drop spreading device of claim 9 , wherein the spinner plate is configured to rotate about a spinner plate column.
11 . A drop spreading device, comprising:
a seed hopper disposed above and fluidly connected to a seed meter, the seed meter comprising:
two or more baffles disposed above a fluted roller, the two or more baffles including one or more brushes,
wherein the fluted roller includes one or more grooves, and
wherein the one or more brushes are configured to abut portions of the fluted roller located between the one or more grooves;
a roller shutoff disposed adjacent to the fluted roller, the roller shutoff including one or more teeth,
wherein the one or more teeth are configured to interface with the one or more grooves by selectably occupying a volume of the one or more grooves;
a funnel disposed beneath the fluted roller and fluidly connected to an outlet chamber, the outlet chamber fluidly connected to the funnel, a blower, and a drop tube,
wherein the blower is configured to introduce air into the outlet chamber and drop tube, and
wherein the drop tube is a cylindrical member including one or more perforations; and
a ground wheel,
wherein the ground wheel is mechanically coupled to the fluted roller and roller shutoff via a drive chain and a shaft, and
wherein, a rotation of the ground wheel causes a rotation of both the fluted roller and roller shutoff.